Regional Affective Disorders Service Psychopharmacology Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust Hamish McAllister-Williams Reader in Clinical Psychopharmacology Department of Psychiatry, RVI
Intro NOT a comprehensive review of everything you need to know about drug treatments of mental illness! Remember: 30% of patients visiting their GP have mental health problems 20-50% of patient in hospital out-patient clinics have mental health problems This is NOT some highly specialised area that you only need to have a vague knowledge of All doctors need to know something about psychotropic drugs
Plan General comments Brief overview of major groups of psychotropics Antidepressants Hypnotics/anxiolytics Antipsychotics Mood Stabilisers NOT Anti-dementia drugs Drugs used in addictions Drugs used for ADHD
Why is the use of drugs in psychiatry different from using drugs in other branches of medicine? Fundamental nature of psychiatric illnesses Attitudes and beliefs of patients (and doctors) Pharmacological complexity of psychotropic drugs Drugs are but one treatment modality
The study of MEDICINE is prosecuted under two relations, namely as a Science and as an Art The Science and Practice of Medicine W.Aitken 1872
The science of psychopharmacology Three classic studies
Efficacy of Drug Treatments - Antidepressants 100 MRC Antidepressant Trial, 1965 80 60 % recovered % improved 40 20 0 ECT Imipramine Phenelzine Placebo
Efficacy of Drug Treatments - Antipsychotics Symptom ratings Johnstone et al. 1978 - Treatment of Schziophrenia 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 β-flupenthixol Placebo α-flupenthixol 0 1 2 3 4 Weeks * *
Efficacy of Drug Treatments - Lithium Prophylaxis Probability of remaining well 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 Marker & Mander, 1989 Lithium Control 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Months
Pharmacological complexity of psychotropic drugs: When science becomes an art
The clinical use of psychotropic Idiosyncratic reactions drugs e.g. amphetamine, SSRIs and migraine Lack of therapeutic ranges for drugs e.g. most antidepressants Enormous dosage ranges e.g. 10mg 1500mg chlorpromazine per day High rates of non-response Multiple classes of drugs Polypharmacy
Antidepressants TCAs SSRIs NaRIs SNRIs Antagonists MAOIs..and others currently available plus ones on the way
Antidepressants TCAs SSRIs NaRIs SNRIs Antagonists MAOIs..and others currently available plus ones on the way
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) H1 M1 NRI TCA α1 SRI N.B. also effects on cardiac and neuronal membrane excitability e.g. amitriptyline, lofepramine, imipramine Inhibit 5-HT and NA uptake Produces therapeutic effect Block of M 1, H 1, α 1 receptors produces side effects Poorly tolerated and toxic in overdose (except lofepramine)?amitriptyline more potent than SSRIs for severe depression
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) SSRI SRI e.g. fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram Inhibit 5-HT uptake Produces therapeutic benefit depression OCD, Panic, anxiety Produces side effects Nausea Early increased anxiety Sexula dysfunction Well tolerated and good first line treatments
Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors (NaRIs) NRI NARI e.g. reboxetine (lofepramine) Inhibit NA uptake Produces therapeutic effect Produces side effects Well tolerated Alternative class for patients who fail an SSRI
Serotonin and Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) NRI SNRI DRI SRI e.g. venlafaxine, duloxetine Inhibit 5-HT and NA (and DA) uptake Produces therapeutic effect Produces side effects Similar to SSRI Better tolerated than TCAs and? more effective than SSRIs for severe depression therefore good second/third line treatment
Noradrenaline and Serotonin Selective Antagonist 5-HT2 5-HT3 H1 NaSSA α2 e.g. mirtazepine Blocks α 2 receptors Produces antidepressant effect (Increases 5-HT release) Blocks 5-HT 2 receptors Produces decreased anxiety Blocks H 1 receptors Produces sedation? more potent than SSRIs plus lacks sexual side effects, but causes marked weight gain. Used second line
5-HT 2 antagonist e.g. Trazodone Weakly blocks 5-HT uptake H1? effect 5-HT2 Trazodone SRI Blocks 5-HT 2 receptors? Main way produces benefit on depressive and anxiety symptoms α Blocks H1 receptors Produces sedation? Potency as mainline treatment but often used to augment SSRIs or SNRIs
Monamine Oxidase Inhibitors MAOI Traditional e.g. phenelzine, tranylcypromine Food & drug interaction RIMA e.g. moclobemide Increase levels of 5-HT, NA (and dopamine - traditionals) produces therapeutic benefit Second line for atypical depression, third line treatments for severe depression
NICE Clinical Guideline 23 December 2004 Depression: management of depression in primary and secondary care
Guidance Good practice points for all Stepped care Step 1: Recognition of depression Step 2: Depression in primary care mild depression Step 3: Depression in primary care moderate to severe Step 4: Mental health services refractory, recurrent, atypical and psychotic depression Step 5: Depression requiring inpatient care
Step 2 Mild depression Antidepressants Not recommended for initial treatment Use if symptoms persist after other interventions depression associated with psychosocial problems past history of moderate to severe depression Recommended interventions Sleep and anxiety management Watchful waiting Structured exercise Guided self-help
Step 3 - moderate to severe depression Antidepressants Antidepressants should be routinely offered Address common concerns Inform about potential side effects and risk of discontinuation/withdrawal symptoms (particularly with paroxetine and venlafaxine) Inform about time delay in response Continue for at least 6 months from remission After 6 months review need for medication
Step 3 Choice of antidepressant SSRI in routine care fluoxetine or citalopram If response inadequate consider increasing dose to BNF limits If not effective switch antidepressant [C] Reasonable alternative to SSRIs = mirtazepine, but consider moclobemide, reboxetine, lofepramine
Step 4 Atypical, psychotic and recurrent depression Atypical depression Hypersomnia, increased appetite, hypersensitive consider an MAOI (phenelzine) Psychotic depression Augment with an antipsychotic Recurrent depression Drugs If 2 or more episodes consider ADs for 2 years Use same dose of AD as for acute treatment Psychotherapies Consider CBT
Step 4 - Refractory depression Failure to respond to 2 or more ADs Consider the following options: ADs plus CBT Lithium augmentation Venlafaxine up to BNF limits SSRI + mianserin or mirtazepine [C] Consider phenelzine
Anxiolytics/hypnotics Benzodiazepines e.g. diazepam, lorazepam, chlordiazepoxide, temazepam Act on GABA A receptor complexes Relieve anxiety immediately, good for short term use Hypnotics are simply BZs with shorter half lifes S/E s - very few except dependency However antidepressants are the drugs of choice for treating anxiety but take longer to work
Antipsychotics Typicals/conventionals/first generation antipsychotics e.g. chlorpromazine, haloperidol Atypicals/second generation antipsychotics Clozapine Olanzapine Risperidone Quetiapine Aripiprazole Amisulpiride/sulpiride
Typical antipsychotics NRI H1 TCA SRI M1 α1 N.B. also effects on cardiac and neuronal membrane excitability
Typical antipsychotics H1 M1 α1 N.B. also effects on cardiac and neuronal membrane excitability
Typical antipsychotics H1 M1 CPZ D2 α1 N.B. also effects on cardiac and neuronal membrane excitability E.g. chlorpromazine, haloperidol Block D 2 receptors Therapeutic effects EPS Also antagonise histamine, NA and acetylcholine receptors causing side effects Antipsychotic and sedative Used in schizophrenia, mania, psychotic depression NICE no longer recommend them first line
Haloperidol 1 haloperidol D2 11-15 Stahl S M, Essential Psychopharmacology (2000)
Atypical core pharmacology 5HT2A SGA D2 11-16 Stahl S M, Essential Psychopharmacology (2000)
Atypical rich pharmacology 5HT1A 5HT2A M1 H1 1 2 5HT1D SRI 5HT2C NRI 5HT3 atypical antipsychotic D1 5HT6 D4 D3 D2 5HT7 11-34 Stahl S M, Essential Psychopharmacology (2000)
Clozapine the archetypal atypical 5HT1A 5HT2A M1 H1 1 2 5HT2C 5HT3 5HT6 clozapine D4 D3 D2 D1 5HT7 11-37 Stahl S M, Essential Psychopharmacology (2000)
Clozapine Introduced in Europe in 1975 (but not UK) Less extrapyramidal symptoms than typicals Withdrawn due to cases of fatal neutropenia Kane et al. (1988) - large trial of treatment resistant schizophrenic patients (300+) failed at least three antipsychotics before entry all given high dose haloperidol - those who failed to respond randomised to chlorpromazine or clozapine 30% response to clozapine c.f. 4% to chlorpromazine significant effect on negative symptoms
Newer atypicals More recently introduced drugs Some more dopamine selective e.g. sulpiride, amisulpride Most recent dopamine partial agonist e.g. aripiprazole Most combined 5-HT 2 and D 2 antagonists e.g. risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine All pharmacologically differ
Clozapine the archetypal atypical 5HT1A 5HT2A M1 H1 1 2 5HT2C 5HT3 5HT6 clozapine D4 D3 D2 D1 5HT7 11-37 Stahl S M, Essential Psychopharmacology (2000)
5HT2A 1 2 risperidone D2 5HT7 11-39 Stahl S M, Essential Psychopharmacology (2000)
5HT2A M1 H1 1 5HT2C 5HT3 5HT6 olanzapine D4 D3 D2 D1 11-40 Stahl S M, Essential Psychopharmacology (2000)
5HT2A H1 1 2 5HT6 quetiapine D2 5HT7 11-41 Stahl S M, Essential Psychopharmacology (2000)
Atypicals Now first line antipsychotics for schizophrenia and mania (+ other effects in bipolar disorder) Less EPS quetiapine, olanzapine < risperidone amisulpiride, sulpiride, aripiprazole < convential antipsychotics Hyperprolactinaemia Not with quetiapine and olanzapine Yes with risperidone, amisulpiride and sulpiride Risk of weight gain, metabolic syndrome and diabetes clozapine, olzapine > quetiapine, risperidone > amisulpiride, sulpiride, aripiprazole? Differences in potency Clozapine used for TRS, but risk of blood disorders Olanzapine and risperidone possibly more potent than quetiapine in schizophrenia Quetiapine has evidence bipolar depression Depot risperidone available Expensive
NICE Clinical Guideline 1 December 2002 Core interventions in the treatment and management of schizophrenia in primary and secondary care WWW.NICE.org.uk
Acute Episode Informed choice by patient If not able to do this then atypical If on typical and SEs are problematic or Sx control is inadequate, then atypical (otherwise remain on conventional) Single drug within BNF limits Avoid high doses and loading doses Treatment trials should be for periods of 6-8 weeks Progress, SEs and user satisfaction should be monitored closely Treat for 1-2 years, withdraw slowly and monitor for 2 years after withdrawal
What is a Mood Stabiliser Treats depression plus mania without making either pole worse and/or has prophylactic effects for both mania and depression Absence of a consensus definition NICE The guideline avoids the term mood stabiliser, because there is no agreed definition. The terms 'antimanic agent' or 'antimanic medication' are used for treatment of an acute episode, and 'prophylactic agent' or 'prophylactic medication' for long-term maintenance treatment
The course of Bipolar Disorder Mania Hypomania Euthymia Minor Depression Major Depression Preliminary Phase Preventative Phase
NICE Clinical Guideline 38 July 2006 Bipolar Disorder: The management of bipolar disorder in adults, children and adolescents, in primary and secondary care
Acute Mania Atypical antipsychotic (olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine) for those with severe mania If ineffective consider adding Li or valproate Valproate or Li if previous good response and compliance Avoid valproate in women of child baring potential Li only if less severe
Acute Depression First line: SSRI plus antimanic agent If on antimanic: SSRI or quetiapine (if not on antipsychotic) If recent unstable mood: avoid antidepressants increase antimanic and consider lamotrigine Taper antidepressants after symptoms reduced for 8 weeks
Long-term Treatment First line: lithium, olanzapine or valproate If fails monotherapy over 6 months Li + valp, Li + olanz, Valp + olanz If combination fails Consider lamotrigine (esp. freq. depressions), carbamazepine NOT antidepressants routinely (unless no mania X 5 yrs) Normally treat for at least 5 years
Bipolar treatments: some issues Lithium Narrow therapeutic index monitor levels 2 monthly Renal and thyroid dysfunction renal function + TFTs 6 monthly Sudden discontinuation 50% risk of mania Teratogenic Epsteins anomaly Valproate Not for women under 18 or of child baring potential Teratogenicity (neural tube), polycystic ovary Levels if ineffective, poor adherence or toxicity Lamotrigine Risk of Stevens-Johnson syndrome Slow dose titration
The course of Bipolar Disorder Mania Hypomania Euthymia Minor Depression Major Depression Preliminary Phase Preventative Phase
The course of Bipolar Disorder Mania Hypomania Euthymia Minor Depression Major Depression Preliminary Phase Frank E, et al. Biol Psychiatry. 2000;48(6):593-604. Preventative Phase
The study of MEDICINE is prosecuted under two relations, namely as a Science and as an Art The Science and Practice of Medicine W. Aitken 1872
Clinical use of Drugs in Psychiatry Fundamental principles: Assessment of risk/benefits Consideration of costs Full discussion with patient Informed choice by patient Repeated monitoring and re-assessment Integration with other treatments
Conclusions Drugs are often the first line treatment in psychiatric illness However drugs are not the only mode of treatment Good evidence supports their use The use of psychotropics is complicated by: professional perceptions of illness patient perceptions of treatment Complexity of their pharmacology Normal good clinical practice is essential